MAURITIUS - MAURICE - MAURICIO

The Honourable Arvin Boolell, Minister for Agriculture and Natural Resources of the Republic of Mauritius

It is indeed a privilege and an honour for me to stand in this august assembly today on behalf of the Prime Minister of my country, the Government and our people, and to reaffirm our commitment to the ideals and objectives of FAO.

Food supply has been a concern of humanity at all times. In 1982, the Rome Declaration on Hunger rightly pointed out ... "It is indeed possible to end world hunger by the year 2000. More than ever before humanity possesses resources, capital technology and knowledge to promote development and to feed all the people both now and in the foreseeable future."

Fourteen years after this Declaration, the ascending trend of statistics on hunger and malnutrition and the increasing evidence of inequalities in food supply, give cause for serious concern. It is alarming to observe the paradox of our modern world where astounding inventions and discoveries contrast sadly with thousands of starving undernourished children, men and women; where giant strides in technology benefit a privileged few, while many live on the margins of society; where sufficient food is produced to feed the world population yet there are daily examples of food wastage on one side and shortages on the other. It is another painful paradox that in some places abundance of weapons takes priority over abundance of food.

All these are disquieting and distressing facts which cannot by any means be ignored; they question the very economic and social foundation on which our world is built. They raise doubts about our priorities and our goals. There are issues which reach the depths of our hearts and consciences. It has become not only urgent but compelling for leaders of the world to engage in bold, frank and disinterested reflection on how to address the issue and other options that are open to us. This Summit fortunately provides the forum for such reflection and for us to harness all our efforts in order to alleviate the problems of hunger and malnutrition.

Food security can only be achieved through increased, planned and efficient agricultural production. In this endeavour, developing countries face numerous and complex constraints and challenges, such as vulnerability to climatic conditions and limited land resources. In the present context, they have to adapt to significant changes in world market conditions. The new trade environment calls for more professional approaches to agricultural production, increased productivity through the use of modern technology and more competitiveness. However, the gap between advanced and developing countries, as far as access to technology and science is concerned, is very wide and almost impossible to bridge. The excessive costs of scientific research and the introduction of modern technologies remain important obstacles and foster inequalities. It is felt that greater attention should be given to a new form of assistance, particularly in policy formulation and the reinforcement of phytosanitary and sanitary measures and the transfer of technology and skills in developing quality standards and control measures. An over-dependence on external sources, particularly by means of food aid, may only be weak channels towards enhancing food security.

There are some examples of the successful use of food aid which have greatly alleviated food crisis situations. Such aid should no doubt continue, but it is my belief that the spade is more powerful than the spoon.

The conclusion of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations in December 1993 was hailed by the whole world, even by those who apprehended its effects. The World Trade Organization (WTO) is now in the process of creating a level playing field and is perturbed by the fact that the players are not of the same standard and no amount of assistance will ever get them to play in the same league. All studies that have been carried out following the conclusion of the Uruguay Round have indicated that sub-Saharan Africa would be the most hit region of the world. And this is where the pernicious scourge of poverty, malnutrition, disease and hunger is more prevalent. It is our earnest hope that, in respect of continuing agricultural reform, the WTO will address this problem.

I should like to mention very briefly that my country is deeply committed to human rights and democracy and, consequently, it is fully dedicated to the cause of food security for all. From a monocrop economy which was highly vulnerable to internal and external factors, it has now moved to a more diversified economy with a manufacturing industry, tourism and financial service sectors.

The Mauritian Government has been placing strong emphasis on modernization, diversification, increased productivity and cost effectiveness in the agricultural sector. Some of the actions that have been implemented are the grouping of planters' land and viable units for land development and management purposes, identifying and improving land improvement, irrigation and mechanization on small planters' lands, ensuring adequate timely and regular supplies of inputs and services to small planters and providing a comprehensive package of incentives and support services. The Government is also assuming the role of facilitator for the export of agricultural products. It has been trying to create the appropriate environment which would enable farmers to continually improve performance and increase field productivity. The agricultural sector, nevertheless, still faces a number of problems such as limited land resources and an ageing labour force, while trade is likely to become more competitive and harsher within the new world trade configuration. Mauritius has also ratified the Law of the Sea Convention and is a member of the Indian Ocean Tuna Convention. It also supports the measures in relation to the Convention, to the conservation of straddling fish stocks and of highly migratory species and the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, thus showing our deep commitment to fisheries management at the international level.

Talking about food security would be futile if wars and conflicts divert our limited resources to destructive purposes and deprive millions of children, women and men, of their basic survival needs. Peace and respect for the rights of human beings are the essential pre-requisites for the removal of hunger and malnutrition.

This Summit should therefore enable us to renew our faith and determination to strive for a more peaceful and harmonious world. We have gathered here because we care, we care for the people who have to live without food. We have in the past lived through successive meetings and formulated declarations and resolutions. It is now more than time that we put into practice our intentions to ensure that the fundamental right of every human being is respected. The key word today is solidarity, both at national and international levels. Solidarity should not be an expression witnessed in times of great calamities only, but should become a permanent concern for all countries which can afford it.

Together with other developing countries, we look forward to this World Food Summit with hope and expectation that it will give serious thought to our preoccupations and provide valid answers to the questions that policy-makers have to face.

The task before this Summit is not easy but no task is impossible if there is real and deep-hearted commitment, dedicated partnership and solidarity for the cause. We should not miss this opportunity. Today the solemn pledge is to unite our efforts so that this Summit opens up brighter horizons to all men and women and children who live without adequate food and to use all our efforts in the translation of the pledge into reality.